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5.11: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    94604
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    accounting equation
    assets=liabilities+owner’s equityassets=liabilities+owner’s equity
    accrual basis
    accounting system in which revenue is recorded or recognized when earned yet not necessarily received, and in which expenses are recorded when legally incurred and not necessarily when paid
    assets
    tangible or intangible resources owned or controlled by a company, individual, or other entity with the intent that they will provide economic value
    cash basis
    method of accounting in which transactions are not recorded in the financial statements until there is an exchange of cash
    current assets
    asset typically used up, sold, or converted to cash in one year or less
    current liabilities
    debt or obligation due within one year or, in rare cases, a company’s standard operating cycle, whichever is greater
    depreciation
    process of allocating the costs of a tangible asset over the asset’s economic life
    direct method
    approach used to determine net cash flows from operating activities, whereby accrual basis revenue and expenses are converted to cash basis collections and payments
    dividends
    portion of the net worth (equity) that is returned to owners of a corporation as a reward for their investment
    expenses
    costs associated with providing goods or services
    free cash flow
    operating cash, reduced by expected capital expenditures
    gains
    increases in organizational value from activities that are “incidental or peripheral” to the primary purpose of the business
    income statement
    financial statement that measures the organization’s financial performance for a given period of time
    indirect method
    approach used to determine net cash flows from operating activities, starting with net income and adjusting for items that impact new income but do not require outlay of cash
    liabilities
    probable future sacrifice of economic benefits arising from present obligations of a particular entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future as a result of past transactions or events
    loss
    decrease in organizational value from activities that are “incidental or peripheral” to the primary purpose of the business
    net income
    revenues and gains that are greater than expenses and losses
    noncash expenses
    expenses that reduce net income but are not associated with a cash flow; most common example is depreciation expense
    noncurrent assets
    assets used in the normal course of business for more than one year that are not intended to be resold
    noncurrent liabilities
    liabilities that are expected to be settled in more than one year
    owner’s equity
    residual interest in the assets of an entity that remains after deducting its liabilities
    retained earnings
    cumulative, undistributed net income or net loss for the business since its inception
    revenue
    inflows or other enhancements of assets of an entity or settlements of liabilities from delivering or producing goods, rendering services, or other activities that constitute the entity’s ongoing major or central operations
    statement of cash flows
    financial statement listing the cash inflows and cash outflows for the business for a period of time

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